KBW was established as 11 King’s Bench Walk, Temple in 1954 by George Waller QC, who subsequently became leader of the North Eastern Circuit, a High Court Judge and finally a Lord Justice of Appeal.
Although Chambers was for many years based at this address in London, the members of 11 King’s Bench Walk always had strong links to the North East where most predominantly practised.
From the early days, the quality of the legal knowledge and advocacy provided by 11 King’s Bench Walk was such that it rapidly became the premier set of chambers in the North East, and one of the premier sets of chambers in the country. Former members of Chambers, Lord Taylor and Lord Justice Kennedy, went on to high judicial office as the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales and the Vice-President of the Queen’s Bench Division respectively. Over the years, many other members of Chambers have gone on to take judicial appointments.